Device for extracting cores from wells



J. P. MILLER DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING CORES FROM WELLS June 24 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 21.

wd m 3 7 4 INVENTOR TlesseB-MiZZer a? 77 XM ATTORNEY June 24, 1924.

J. P. MILLER DEVICE FOR EXTRACTING CORE-S FROM WELLS Filed June 21, 1923 2 Shawls-Sheet 3 1L dssePMzZZer INVENTOR WITNEVSSES %W Patented June 24,

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE;

JESSE PERKINS MI LER; or HOU MA, LoUIsmivA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF .rowIL'nIAE I n. conxmu, or JENNINGS, LOUISIANA .I

' DEVICE FOR nxrmc'rInG-conns Application filed June 21, 1923. Seria1 1i'o. 646,841.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn P. MILLER, a"

citizen of the United States, residing at Houma, in the parish of Terrebonne and State of Louisiana, have. invented a new and useful Device for Extracting Cores from Wells, of which the following is a specification. 3

This invention relates to a device for extracting cores from Wells while they are being' drilled, without removing the drilling stem'from the well.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device of this-type which. is espe- .flushlng fluid is forced downwardly therecially designed for use 1n connection with rotary drills, and which is so constructed as to overcome many of the difficulties experi-l enced' in obtaining cores, especlally where,

the formationis soft.

Av further object of the invention is to provide a'dev-ice' by means of which the core barrel may be hoisted or lowered while-the slush pump'is running, thereby overcoming the tendency of the drill stem to become frozen or stuck. With the present invention not only may a continuouscore be obis thedrawmg: I -Figure 1 i.S "8, vertlcal' sectional ."viewj: through the lower end ofthe drill stem with tained of the formation through which the well is drilled, but it may be obtained in .larger sectionsthancan be obtained by de vices now in use, thus making it necessary to remove the cores less frequently. a

These objects are attained by, a device which is simple in its construction and has few parts. It has no latches for holding the corebarrel in place which are always liable to get out-of order, but the core barrel is seated and held in place within the drill 'stem'by hydraulic pressure induced by the j operation of the slush pump.

. The construction of my invention and the principles of its operation will be more clear-- ly, understood from the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanfyfi'ng drawing which illustrates the v invention in its preferred form.

the core barrel in place. a

Figure 2 is 'ajvie'w partly. in partly in section of a part of. the invention.

enmeshed. spe ial swivel forming i p 1y flared, as shown alt-221ml forms a seat Figure. 3 is a horizontal section on'the' Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View simiv la'rto Figure 1, showing the improved core protector inassembled relationto the core barrel and drill stem.

Referri'11g in detail to the drawing, 5. de-

notes the lower end of adrill stein, to which;

a bit body 6 is connected by means of a drill collar 7. The drill stem is of the;- usual-tubw' lar construction, and water, mud or other through by the slush pump, andis expelled through the flushing holes 8' in the bit body to remove the cuttingsof theobit blade 9 carried-by the lower end-of. the bit bo'dy,-or'v to prevent thewalls of the well from caving tion.'

In-cari'yi-ng out my invention the core cuttln'g shoe 10, which-1s secured-to and pro-'.

is provided with a bore "11 through which' the'c'ore is received, and at its upperend is provided with an enlarged upwardly-flared core barrel, n'earitsupper end,'-is formed with an inwardlyeXtending valve seat 15 having acentral openinglfi'iwhich is nor-- mallyclosed .by' a :ball va1ve'- 1'7..- .The wall of the corebarrel extends a-short di s.-' tan'ce abovethe valve seat 15 to form a "in, as willbe understood'by those familiar with the drilling of 'dee wells. The parts thusfardescribed are 0 the usual construc- -jects below the lower end of the bit body 6,

. socket 12 adapted to forin a seat ferthe ta peredlower'end l3 of a core barrel 14. The

.valve chamber18, the upperend ofywhich isclosed bya downwardly-tapered core-bah rel head 19. This head. 19. keepsthepumppressure off of the core while it i's'beingcut,

and valve 17, prevents "pressure fromi'reaching the top of thecore, while the core barrel.- is being lifted from its-seat- 1- p Theupper "end of the bit body 6 has a' threaded socket 20' forreceiving the lower end "of a corei'ba'rrel housing 21, which surf"- ;roundsthe cor'e'barrel andtisfeoncentric therewith, and" slightly spaced therefrom;

The upper end of the housing-21, isoutwardr" for receiving he ta red core-barrel head 19. The valve cham er 18 is provided with a vent 23, through which the water may be expelled from the core barrel as the core rises therein, and this water may in turn be vented from the housing 21 through a vent 24 in the bit body 6.

When the core barrel is lowered into the drill stem, the seating of the same in the seats 12 and 22 is facilitated by the hydraulic pressure induced by the slush pump, and the valve 17 prevents any pump pressure from reaching the core. A very soft forma tion, therefore, will stand up within the core barrel, and when the same is lifted the pressure in the lower end of the core barrel will retain the core therein. Any small particles which are dislodged from the sides of the core will become wedged against the lower tapered portion 13 and assist in retaining the core within the barrel. Loose sand will pack in the barrel and remain in it while being hoisted.

In Figures 4 and 5, the core barrel 14 is perfectly cylindrical in shape, and provided at its lower end with a reduced portion 25 having an internal bore 26 of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the core barrel, and forming at its upper end a shoulder 27, on which rests a tubular core protector 28. This core protector receiving the core as it rises, tends to prevent the same from packing in the barrel, and when the core becomes packed in the protector 28, the latter rises so that the drilling may still be continued without withdrawing the core until the core packs in the barrel 1 1 below the protector. Thus, a considerably longer core can be obtained in soft formation than could be obtained with an ordinary core barrel.

The core-barrel head 19 is formed with an upwardly projecting stem 29, which may be secured to a socket or fishing tool 30 carried at the lower end of a hoisting line 31,.whereby the core barrel may be hoisted or lowered when desired.

The upper end 32 of the drill stem is secured in the usual manner by a collar 33 to a water swivel 34, and the construction of the latter is modified to permit the core barrel to be raised and lowered by the hoisting line 31, while the slush pump is running. This modification includes the substitution of a, T 35 for theusual connection between theswivel and the pipe 36 leading from the pump, and the upper outlet of this T is pro- 'vided with a connection 37, which is in alinement with the drill stem, and provided with a central opening 38 suificiently large to permit the hoisting line 31 to pass freely therethrough. A. branch 39 is provided for discharging any waste water which is forced through the opening 38 during the operation of the slush pump.

meaoaa The above described swivel of special construction is used whenever there is danger of the drilling stem freezing or sticking while the core is being withdrawn. In using this special swivel the slush pump continues to operate until the core barrel is drawn to the surface. The swivel is then unscrewed from the collar 33, and the core barrel removed from the drill stem to obtain the core, after which the core barrel is again placed within the drill stem, and the slush pump may be again operated while the core barrel is being lowered.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that my improved core barrel is particularly designed to obtain perfect cores where the formation is soft, and by using the core protector 28, or several of these core protectors one within the other, a core may be obtained of greater length than has heretofore been possible without destroying the formation. It will not be necessary to remove the drill stem when the core is being removed from the well, and by using the improved swivel this may be done in the softest formations without stopping the operation of the slush pump for any appreciable time, and consequently without any danger of the drill stem becoming stuck.

While I have shown and described the specific construction of one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative and that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

What is claimed is 1. In a well drilling device, the combination with a tubular drill stem having a tapered seat within the lower end thereof, of a core barrel fitting in said seat, and adapted to be held therein by hydraulic pressure.

2. In a well drilling device, the combination of a tubular drill stem, a cylindricalhousing within the lower end of the stem and having at its upper end a tapered seat, and a core barrel adapted to be contained within said housing and having a head fitting said seat and adapted to be held therein by hydraulic pressure.

3. The combination with a tubular drill stem, of a core barrel supported within the lower end thereof, a swivel for supporting the drill stem and introducing water under pressure into said stem, and means for raising and lowering said core barrel within the stem while the water is being introduced through the swivel.

4. The combination of a tubular drill stem having atapered seat within its lower end, a core barrel having its lower end fittin said seat and having an enlarged tapered I head, a housing supported within the drill end for receiving the core-barrel head, and

means for introducing hydraulic pressure into the drill stem, said pressure being adapted to hold the core barrel on said seats.

5. In a device of the character described, a tubular drill stem, a core barrel removably held in the stem, means for introducing liquid pressure into the stem, and means for raising and lowering the core barrel within the stem while said liquid pressure is being introduced.

6. The combination with a tubular drill stem and a water swivel for rotatably supporting the same, of a core barrel adapted to be received within the stem, said swivel having a vertical passageway through which a ho1st line may pass for raising and lowering the core barrel, while the interior of the stem is subjected to hydraulic pressure.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubular drill stem, a bit body secured to the lower end thereof, a cylindrical housing secured to the bit body and extending upwardly into the drill stem,

'a core barrel adapted to seat within the hous ing, means for venting the core barrel into the housing, and means for venting the'housing into the drill hole-outside the stem.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubular drill stem and bit body, a core cutting shoe secured to the lower end thereof, a cylindrical housing socured to the bit body and extending upwardly into the drill stem, said housing and core cutting shoe having tapered seats, a core barrel having its lower end tapered to fit the seat in the core cutting shoe, and a tapered plug forming the head of the core barrel and tting the seat in the housing.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a tubular drill stem and bit body, a core cutting shoe secured'to the lower end thereof, a cylindrical housing secured to the bit body and extending upwardly into the drill stem, said housing and shoe having tapered seats, a core barrel having tapered surfaces adapted to rest on said seats, said barrel having a valve chamber and check valve at its upper end, a vent through the side of the valve chamber into the housing, and a vent through the bit body establishing communication between the interior of said housing and the drill hole outside the drill stem.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a drill stem, a core barrel supported by the drill stem and having its lower end contracted, and a core protector loosely held within the core barrel, and comprising a cylindrical casing shorter than the core barrel and of smaller diameter.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tubular drill stem having a tapered seat in the lower end thereof, of a core barrel fitting in said seat and adapted to be held therein by hydraulic pressure, said barrel having a check valve, a vent at its upper end, and a core protector freely movable within the barrel, and comprising a cylindrical casing shorter than the barrel and'of smaller diameter.

12. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a drill stem,a core barrel having its lower end provided with areduced portion having a bore of less diameter than the diameter of the core barrel thereby defining a shoulder, and a tubular core protector resting on the shoulder and adapted to receivethe core, said core protector extendingupwardly within the core barrel and of less diameter andshorter than the same.

13.'The combination of a tubular drill stem having a seat, a cylindrical housing within the same having at its upper end a flared socket, a core barrel within the housing having its lower end engaging the seat of the stem, a valve seat near the upper end of the core barrel, a valve chamber above the valve seat, a valve in the valve chamber to rest on said seat, and a core barrel head closing the upper end of the valve chamber and carried by the core barrel and engaging the-flared socket of said housing.

14. The combination of a tubular drill stem having a seat, a cylindrical housing within the same having at its upper end a flared socket, a core barrel within the housing having its lower endengaging the seat of the stem, a valve seat near the upper end a valve in the valve chamber to rest on said seat, and a core barrel head closing the upper end of the valve chamber and carried by the. core barrel and engaging the flared socketof said housing.

.In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

JESSE PERKINS LHLLER. 

